FDA to require label changes on how to safely decrease opioids in physically dependent patients
Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on April 9 issued a Drug Safety Announcement saying it has received reports of serious harm in patients who are physically dependent on opioid pain medications and suddenly have them discontinued or rapidly decreased. Because of these reports, the FDA is requiring…
Cultural, generational factors influencing RN retention
Editor's Note Generational and cultural differences may affect an RN’s job satisfaction and intent to stay, and nurse leaders must reassess staff satisfaction beyond mandatory annual staff engagement surveys, this study finds. An online survey of 309 RNs at a tertiary care hospital in south Texas found that: Millennials anticipate…
ECRI Institute announces Healthcare Supply Chain Achievement Award winners
Editor's Note The ECRI Institute on April 1 announced the 11 US healthcare organizations that received its 2019 Healthcare Supply Chain Achievement Award. The winners demonstrated excellence in overall spend management in their supply chain processes, and include: Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge, MA Cooperative Services…
Hospital safety culture linked to surgical patient outcomes
Editor's Note A hospital’s safety culture may influence certain surgical patient outcomes, finds this study. A Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ), sent to administrators, quality improvement teams, nurses, anesthesiologists, and surgeons in 49 hospitals participating in the Illinois Surgical Quality Improvement Collaborative, found that OR safety culture had the highest scores…
FDA issues statement on review framework for AI-based devices
Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on April 2 issued a statement announcing steps toward a new, tailored review framework for artificial intelligence (AI)-based medical devices. AI and machine learning have the potential to transform the delivery of healthcare, with earlier disease detection, more accurate diagnoses, more targeted…
Low-value procedures associated with hospital-acquired complications
Editor's Note Patients admitted to the hospital for procedures that would not be expected to require admission (ie, low-value procedures) are being harmed, consuming additional hospital resources, and delaying care for patients for whom the services would be appropriate, this Australian study finds. In this analysis of 9,330 episodes of…
Joint Commission, NQF name Eisenberg Award winners
Editor's Note The Joint Commission and National Quality Forum (NQF) on March 27 named the recipients of the 2018 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards. The Awards recognize innovative approaches to improve patient safety and quality of care. The winners are: Brent C. James, MD, MStat, clinical professor,…
Factors linked to, lessons learned from reduced mortality during military conflicts
Editor's Note The increased use of tourniquets, blood transfusions, and reduced time to surgical treatment (ie, within 1 hour) were the main factors that reduced mortality 44.2% during military conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, this study finds. From October 2001 through December 2017, survival increase three-fold among the most critically…
Joint Commission posts ‘Top 5’ most challenging requirements for 2018
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on March 27 posted the “Top 5” requirements identified most frequently as “not compliant” during surveys and reviews in 2018. The Top 5 for hospital accreditation are: LS.02.01.35: The hospital provides and maintains systems for extinguishing fires (88.85%). EC.02.05.01: The hospital manages risks associated with…
Pregnant women working night shifts have higher risk for miscarriage
Editor's Note Pregnant women who work two night shifts per week have a heightened risk for miscarriage after pregnancy week 8, this Danish study finds. Of 22,744 pregnant women analyzed, 2 or more night shifts the previous week increased the risk of miscarriage after pregnancy week 8 (hazard ratio, 1.32).…